1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates in general to outdoor decking and, in particular, to a system, method and apparatus for deck water drainage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous attempts have been made to provide drainage systems for decks to prevent water and debris passing through the deck floorboards from reaching the space beneath the deck. Some of these systems are permanently installed below the deck, creating difficulties when it is necessary to clear away debris that has fallen between deck floorboards into the collection system. Other systems do not provide a level of finished appearance desired for more expensive homes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,941, describes a deck drainage system in which water collection panels are not permanently attached to the building structure and which can be cleaned. However, the collection panels span an entire dimension of the deck without intermediate support, and as a result their weight is borne by tubular beams underlying the ends of the panels. This requires relatively complex and expensive manufacture of the components for the system. Other deck drainage systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,279,271 and 7,434,358. Improvements in deck drainage systems continue to be of interest.